Chapter 13

 

I couldn’t sleep. I knew the others would be because it was day. Or their night, I really needed to ask about that clock. My sleep didn’t have a cycle, I slept when my body wanted it, which wasn’t often.

So much was happening, my mind wouldn’t stop for a second. During dinner, or perhaps Chase’s breakfast, Clairee had brought a woman to join us, her aura was clear, which I found quite interesting. They hadn’t been able to see what was inside of me, but gave me a thin bracelet of leather with silver lines on it to wear always. The bracelet, they said, would block any magic left in me from being detected by others. Victor and Daxx both trusted them, so I had no choice but to wear it. It went well with the big leather one I already wore, so there was that too.

Crawling out of the closet, I looked back and wondered if I should leave the blankets there, in case I was tired soon. Deciding to leave them, I went over to my clothes. Maybe if I went and walked around the halls for a little while I would feel tired. So much seemed to be happening, I didn’t know how the others were sleeping.

I remembered that I needed to finish my search for Emil and his children, but all of the information had been taken by Michael so he could help. Since I didn’t know where it was, I couldn’t work on that to pass the time.

Putting my pack on, I stepped out the door. A tall man stood waiting there. He had dark hair and a beard. I had never seen him before. I looked down the hall, first one way and then the other, there was no one coming or going. Why was he just standing there across from my door?

I saw he was watching me. The air around him was good, cool like Victor’s but still good. His dark brown eyes just looked at me, but he didn’t speak. I leaned closer, not wanting to talk too loud because others were sleeping... somewhere. “Are you lost?” I didn’t know what was behind most of the doors, but I thought I could help him if he needed it. Pulling out my phone, I looked at it, remembering who would be awake. “I can call Chase, if you are.” I looked down the hall again. “I don’t know what is behind most of the doors.” I told him.

“Uh, no. My king, Chase, told me to stand and guard your door. I am from the daywalker kingdom and am used to being awake during these hours, so he thought it was best.”

I nodded. I didn’t know why he had to guard my door, maybe he was being punished for not listening. When I had been in school a teacher sent me to a corner once. I still didn’t understand what I was supposed to see in that corner, but I had stood for as long as I could. I stepped over and stood beside him. Standing here, alone, would get boring. The door to my room wasn’t that interesting to look at.

I looked up at him again, noting he watched me with a strange look on his face. “You look like a pirate.” I told him. “Rafael and I watched a movie with pirates once.” I nodded. “You could be in a movie if you wanted to be.”

He smiled down at me. “I’ll keep that in mind, but I am loyal to my king.”

I smiled. That was a good thing. “I find it fascinating there are two kings.” I thought about the time mystery again. “The day and night confuses me, but I’m going to see if there is a clock that would make it more clear to me.” I told him.

The expression on his face told me he didn’t completely understand what I was saying, but he was listening. “You can set one up on your phone.”

I looked at my phone and frowned. “I can?” Would it really do that to make it clearer to me?

He held out his hand. “May I?”

I nodded and let him take my phone. He tapped his big finger on the screen, doing things so fast I couldn’t follow. I didn’t do much with my phone. I texted and talked on it. The first phone Daxx had given me, I’d tried to see all the things it did, then somehow had made it not work at all. Since then, I didn’t try to explore what all the buttons did.

When he handed it back to me, I looked down to see there were two times on the screen. Even though it was the same time he’d labeled it twice and one said Day and the other Night. It was a small thing, but suddenly I understood. I smiled up at him. “Thank you.” I waved the phone around. “I was going to find a clock or book to explain it to me, but this is better, I can see it all the time.” I paused for a moment to wonder if I stood on the line between the sides of day and night, what time would it be there, then decided that was something I didn’t need to know.

He nodded his head, looking pleased I was happy. “Were you going to the library?”

I bit my lip. “I didn’t know where I was going.” I looked down the hall. “There’s a library?” I nodded. “I would like to see that.”

He smiled at me. “I’ll take you there.”

We had only taken two steps when Rafael came out of a door, running his hand down his face. He looked so tired.

“Crissy.” He nodded abruptly to the man with me. “Bronx. Chase have you guarding Criss?”

The man nodded. “Yes. I was just taking her to the library.”

I looked up at him. Bronx, what a unique name. I liked it. “You’re guarding me? I thought you were guarding the door?”

Rafael chuckled and then shook his head in answer to the odd look the man gave him. “We aren’t taking any chances that,” he motioned to my new bracelet, “isn’t working properly. You will have a guard if one of us aren’t with you. Victor’s orders.”

I suddenly felt, I wasn’t sure... Special, wasn’t the right word, but it was close. I felt safe. Victor knew that was something I needed. “That’s very nice of him.” I smiled at Bronx. “Victor is very sweet.”

He raised one dark eyebrow at me. “Victor, our justice? Sweet?”

I wondered if he had problems with his hearing. “Yes.” I looked back to see an amused smile on Raf’s face. “I couldn’t sleep so I think I’ll visit the library until I feel tired.”

He nodded his head slowly. “Don’t read every book there.” Sighing loudly, he nodded to me. “I’m going to get some sleep. I’ll see you at breakfast.”

“Okay.” I watched him walk away and then looked at Bronx. “They eat a lot here.”

He grinned. “Food is good.”

I couldn’t argue with that. “Yes, it is.”

~

I stood in the bathroom deciding what to do with my hair. I had finally slept, it wasn’t for long, then again, it never was. The library was a huge room full of books, maybe two rooms, I’m not sure. They went on forever and ever, everywhere I looked. I met the most mysterious man there, he was old. Older than I’d even known, but filled with nothing but goodness. A form so pure, it took me a long while to figure out what it was. When I’d really seen him as he was, I found it more fascinating than all the books.

He knew who I was, without me telling him. I was quite excited to be known. I don’t know how long I stayed there, only that when I had decided what books I needed to answer the questions… so many questions, Bronx had to help me carry them all back to the room.

Then I read, and read more, thoughts filling my mind as all the pieces came together. Some of the pieces I didn’t like, but I planned to think about them more before deciding I knew what they meant. I was drooping on the couch when I noticed I was tired, and that’s when I decided I needed to sleep for a while.

Pulling up my hair, I decided two pony tails was how I wanted it to be today. I liked the little clips, I really did, but they pulled more hair out when I tried to remove them then they held while on my head. I already had my red pants and black shoes on, so I would be ready to practice after breakfast. I paused, feeling oddly comfortable as part of a routine. That was something rare in my life.

“Cristy?”

I heard Victor in the room and went out. I smiled when I saw him standing over the table of books and looking at the titles. “Hi.”

He straightened and looked at me, his green eyes filling with happiness as they moved over me and stopped on my hair. “Doing some light reading?” He tucked his hands in his pockets and watched me walk over.

I nodded and looked down at the books. “I found many answers,” I bit my lip, “and more questions.” I remembered. “The man, if he even is, at the library gave me the book with the leaves on it.” I shook my head. “But I didn’t read it yet. You said we would, so I thought I should wait.” I stopped and looked up at him, wanting him to kiss me and I wasn’t sure why, I just did.

“You could have, if you wanted to, but I would like to be with you.” He smirked, “there will be more questions, I’m certain.”

I smiled, happy that I had waited. “I will wait until you and I both have time.” I huffed out a breath. “I don’t know when that will be. Things don’t pause for long lately.”

Taking his hand out of his pocket, he reached over and played with the hair in one of my pony tails. “I’ve noticed. If I could change that, I would.”

I watched his mouth as he spoke. “I do have a question right now.” I looked up to see his eyes watching me.

“I will try to answer it.” His tone was sincere.

I bit my lip and then smiled. “Will you kiss me?”

His eyes lit and he smiled. “The simplest question I’ve ever been asked.” Tilting my chin up with a single finger, he leaned down and brushed his mouth over mine.

I thought that was going to be the kiss, but then he pulled me closer with his other hand on my back and covered my mouth completely. This was the kiss I had wanted, the one that sent heat through me and made my head light.

When he lifted his mouth from mine, I looked up into red eyes and smiled. “That’s the best answer I’ve ever gotten.”

He growled softly. “I better be the only one to answer you that way.”

I sensed tension and rubbed my hand over his chest lightly. “I didn’t even think I liked being kissed until you kissed me, Victor.” I shook my head. “So, I don’t want anyone else to.”

His red eyes slowly turned back to green as he looked down at me. “We need to go find a room filled with people and other distractions. Now.” He motioned to the couch. “Get your pack.”

I turned and picked it up, smiling because he remembered I had to take it with me.

As we were walking through the halls to the dining room, I thought about the man at the library. “I find the man at the library quite mysterious.” I told him.

Victor glanced to me as we walked, “He’s been there as far back as I can remember. As far back as everyone remembers.” He shrugged slightly. “I’ve never seen him outside the library, ever.”

I nodded. “Because he’s not.”

He turned down the next hall. “He’s not?”

“Outside the library. Ever.” I told him.

He stopped in the doorway of the dining room and turned so I would look at him. “Are you saying the man has never left the library?” His brows furrowed. “I find that hard to believe that one man…”

I put my hand on his arm to get his attention. “He is not one man, he is many.” I nodded. “It took me quite some time to see that, the air around him was so pure it was blinding me at first.” I frowned. “They may have had bodies before, the many,” I clarified, “but they do not now.” I nodded knowing this to be true. “He… they, watch over the library and the prophecies mostly, I imagine.”

Victor looked down at me, his eyes searching my face. “You’re saying he is the souls of many, there to be a guardian of the library.”

I had to think that through for a moment and then nodded. “Yes. That is the easiest way to say it.”

“It actually makes sense now.” He mused quietly.

“Yes, it does.” Troy said from behind me.

I turned to see eyes on us. I had forgotten where we were.

“I always knew there was something about him.” Quinton said.

Leone snorted, “Like you’ve ever read a book in your life.”

Everyone smiled, it was funny, the way they always poked at each other, but loved each other fiercely.

Victor took my elbow and guided me toward the table.

“Look,” Chase said, “it’s cutie and the beast.”

Victor stopped walking and looked down at me, then smiled at his brother. “Calling Cristy a beast is uncalled for.” He said in a light tone.

Chase put his hand over his heart and then gave me a shocked look. “The gods are in shock, you’ve given him a sense of humor.” He shrugged. “A bad one, but it’s a start.”

“Ignore him.” Victor said close to my ear and then released me to chose where I wanted to sit at the table.

I sat a few seats away from Quinton today, feeling a little more comfortable with everyone, but still not sure if I could be too close to so many people at once. Mitz came in and set a plate in front of me, it had three pieces of toast with marmalade on it. I smiled up at her, she always remembered. “Thank you.”

Rafael came in the other door and didn’t look happy. He stopped behind the chair he always sat in, but didn’t sit down.

Victor paused in what he was doing and looked at him. “What has happened?”

Raf looked at me for a moment and then to Daxx. “I went to check in with Tim and see if Alona has shown up.” He shook his head. “She hasn’t, so I swung by Daxx’s apartment before heading back, and it’s been trashed.”

Daxx jumped up. “What?” She put her hands on her hips, looking very angry. “There’s nothing there of value, why would someone break in?”

Troy stood up and leaned closer to say something, I don’t know what it was, but she nodded and didn’t look as upset.

Victor glanced at me, something hard in his eyes. “I believe,” he cleared his throat, “they may have been looking for another way to find us.”

He was right. I looked down at the bracelet Clairee had given to me. It must work. I touched it and then glanced to Daxx. “I’m sorry.” Then I thought more about it. “How did they know to look there? No one ever saw me when I went there.” I nodded. “I go in the window.”

Daxx sighed and then sat back down. “Marcus. He knows. I,” she waved her hand around, “have come to be.” She said in a strange voice. Looking at me, she gave me a soft look. “It looks like he knows you and I are connected, Crissy, and is trying to find a way to get someone inside the royal chambers here in Alterealm.”

I bit my lip and looked around at all those at the table. Each had been nicer to me than every other person I’d met in my life. I didn’t want anything bad to happen to any of them. “I guess we better stop him then.” I nodded and picked up my toast to take a bite.

“Amen to that.” Arius said and lifted his coffee cup in my direction.

Rafael sat down. “We’ll find you an apartment, or place over there later, Daxx.” He smiled down the table at me. “And a place that you can call home base too, Crissy.”

I wasn’t sure if I needed a home base, but I nodded anyway.

Rafael started to fill his plate. “So, is practice just a light warm up then?” He glanced to Troy and then Victor, “The guards staying behind, or coming along for some fun?”

I wasn’t sure what this fun was he talked about. We were going in a few hours to find those people that were so scared. Thinking about it too much would make me feel sick, there had been so much blood. I took another bite of my toast, but didn’t taste it. None of them could get hurt, they just couldn’t.

Looking around at each one of them, my eyes moved to Victor and found him watching me. It was like he knew what I was thinking, and that I needed that connection to him right now. I knew if I got up, they would stop eating, and they were going to need their strength more than I would. I was used to running for hours, sometimes days, without eating. They were not. He sat there watching me, motionless in that way he could do so well.

Turning his head slowly, with a look of regret, he glanced to Rafael. “Four of the guards are coming with us. We’re not sure of the numbers we’ll face.”

“Tim is?” Daxx asked.

Victor smirked at Troy who shook his head. “Yes, he is.” He gave Troy a strange look. “You know they fight as one.”

Daxx nodded and waved her hand around. “While you all do your he-man thing, I have my blocker.”

I didn’t know what the he-man thing was, or a blocker either. Maybe I was worrying for nothing, but I know what I saw and no matter whose blood, it still meant someone would suffer. I stood up slowly, and all eyes turned to me. I tried to offer a brave smile, but probably failed.

“I’m just going to practice throwing those knives.” I nodded. “I’ll see you after you eat.” Grabbing my pack, I turned and left quickly. I supposed I would have to practice throwing now, even though I had only said it to find a few moments of quiet. I doubted any of them would need quiet the way I did.

I watched the fifth knife hit the floor and heaved out a breath, defeated. I was keeping my eyes open. I was looking at the target I wanted to hit. It wasn’t my fault none of the knives wanted to stick.

“At least they’re going the right way.”

I jumped to see Victor leaning near the doorway. “I don’t think knives are my thing.” I looked back to the target. “I was told everyone has one.”

He came over and stood beside me. “You need to throw them like you mean it.”

I looked at him and then the last knife in my hand. “Of course, I mean to throw them or I would stand here and just hold them.”

He chuckled softly and reached to take the knife from my hand. “Get mad at it while you throw it.”

“Get mad at the knife?” I raised my eyebrows at him. “And people say I make no sense.”

Victor grinned down at me and then turned his head and looked at the target. “You have to throw with force and at the end there is a jerky motion. It’s easier to show than to explain.”

I watched him throw. He hit the middle of the target. Glancing down at me, he walked over to the target and pulled out the knife, and then picked up the ones I had thrown off the floor. “I’m sorry I left before breakfast was finished.” I watched him walk back with long easy strides. “I needed quiet.”

He nodded. “I know.” Stopping beside me, he gave me a gentle smile. “I realize this is going to be quite difficult for you. I am not happy we are exposing you, but it can’t be helped in this case.” He turned to face the target. “I will ensure you are safe before anything begins.” Nodding toward the target, his tone changed. “Watch my hand as I throw.”

I looked at his face, he looked so focused. It seemed I was developing a bad habit, but I found my eyes wandering to his mouth.

“Cristy?”

“Yes?”

“That’s my mouth, which is nowhere near my hand.” He grinned.

I shook my head to focus and looked at how he was holding the knife. It was nothing like how I did. With a smooth motion, he flicked his wrist and the knife vanished. I heard a quiet thunk as it hit the target. Turning I looked to see his knife buried in the center again. “Mmm, your good at this.”

He chuckled. “I’ve just had more time to practice.”

I laughed. “Only almost five hundred years more.” I took a deep breath when he held one of the knives out to me. I held it the way he had and looked at the target, nodding my head more then once. I tried to copy what I had seen him do and then my jaw dropped when the knife stuck in the target. It wasn’t near the center, much closer to the floor, but it hadn’t bounced off.

“Were you aiming there?” He asked quietly.

I shook my head. “Nowhere close to there.”

He chuckled. “At least you hit it.” He flipped the knife in his hand and flicked and it hit the center beside the other one. “I think they are weighted wrong for you.”

I shook my head. I had no idea what weight he meant.

“The balance and weight of the entire knife.” He held another one out to me.

I took it and tried to focus beyond the flashes in my head. “Maybe it’s my head.” I adjusted how I was holding it. “That isn’t balanced right.” I used more force this time and it once again stuck in the board, nowhere near where I was looking.

“The fact that you can focus enough to throw with all your mind processes, is in, itself, amazing my dear.” He tapped his finger to his temple. “I’ve been in there, so I know what you’re are up against.”

“We’ve decided to bypass practice and leave earlier.” Daxx said coming in.

Victor turned and looked at her and gave a slight roll of his shoulders. “As long as all parties are aware, I’m in agreement with that.”

Leone ran in the door behind her. “I just have something for Crissy before we go.” He jogged over and then stopped a few feet from me and held out a belt.

I looked at it and then to Victor. He reached over and took the belt from his brother.

Daxx came over with a big grin on her face. “They had to have one made in a girl’s size.” She laughed. “Damn giants.”

Victor leaned down and wrapped it around me, securing it low on my waist. The way it fastened looked complicated, but I would figure that out later. It had a big metal ring next to the buckle. It went with my gloves, so I supposed that was a good thing.

“Here.” Leone held out a little box. “It’s the right weight for her.”

Victor nodded and held the box so I could look at it.

“Thank you.” I said slowly, not sure exactly what it was.

Daxx laughed. “Showing her what it is would be helpful.” She looked at me and rolled her eyes. “Men.”

Leone grabbed the box out of his brother’s hand. He looked around and then ran over to the end wall. The one that looked like a ladder, only several feet wide.

Victor gave me a little nudge, so I followed Leone over.

Leone climbed to the top of the ladder wall and did something with the box. Reaching behind him he pulled a glove out of his pocket and put it on. I most likely would have fallen just doing that, I thought.

I watched, and know my mouth dropped open when he came down so fast it looked like he was running backwards down the wall. When his feet hit the floor, he did something with the box and the cable came zipping down into the box.

He looked over at me and nodded. “It’s only fifty feet long, so don’t try freefalling any further.” He held it out toward me.

I stumbled the first few steps and then almost ran into him to get the amazing little box. He reached out when I got to him and then jerked his hand back and looked behind me. I turned, and saw Victor was coming over.

Leone cleared his throat and held the box so I could see the side. “This button deploys the hook.” He pushed it and something popped out of the side of it. “Give it a twist.” He did and it turned into a scary little hook. He walked over to the lowest rung and hooked it on. “Make sure it stays taught.” He gave it a jerk. “before you’re going down.” He pointed to another button and then started to back up and cable came out of the box. It was truly amazing. “When you’re down, hit this button again.” He pushed it and the little hook flattened and the cable zipped back into the box.

I squealed and ran over to him. “That is amazing!” I took it this time when he held it out and turned it in my hands to look at the buttons. I looked at him again and then jumped toward him and hugged him tight. Then I remembered, and let go and stepped back. He had a strange look on his face. I leaned down and whispered. “I am not your favorite flavor.” I straightened. “But when you find the one that is yours, you will never crave another.” I nodded.

Victor was standing beside me now. He took the box and flipped it over and showed me another hook, one that didn’t flatten and then leaned down and hooked it to the ring on my belt. “There.” He said and straightened up.

I looked from him to Leone, then back to him again. “It’s mine?” I glanced to Daxx. “I can keep it?”

She grinned and then laughed.

I looked at Victor, not believing.

“It was made for you.” He told me with a smile.

I opened my mouth and then closed it again. “I’ve never…” I looked at the box on my belt. “Can I try it?” Victor motioned to the wall and I turned so fast and started climbing.

“Wait for me.” He called up to me.

I know I was smiling all the way up, as fast as I could climb. I went to the very top and then hooked my arm through the last rung and reached down to the amazing little box. He was beside me now, but didn’t reach to help me. I got the hook and twisted it and put it over the rung closest to my belt. I tugged on it as Leone had done and then glanced to Victor, he nodded. I took a breath and pushed the next button as Leone had told me to. I leaned back, but still held onto the rung with my other hand, checking, to be sure. It held me there, so I slowly moved down and more cable came out.

“The further you lean back the faster the cable will come out.” Victor told me. “It’s made for your weight.”

I looked from the smart amazing little box to him. “Okay.” I nodded. I looked at the cable and went down a few more feet and then let go of the rung and I stayed there. I looked to the floor and smiled at Daxx. “I won’t worry about falling off the broken fire escape any more.” I thought for a second. “Or the roof ledge over the club.” She didn’t look as excited as I was.

“After your feet are on the floor, you can explain.” Victor told me, a worried expression on his face.

“Okay.” I nodded and then started going down. I was so excited how fast I could move. My gloves made this noise against the cable and I now knew why fate made sure I found them. I jumped to the floor and squealed with delight as I pushed the button and the cable zipped into the box. Victor stepped off the last rung and stood in front of me. I launched myself up into his arms and hugged him tight. “Thank you so much.”

He wrapped his big arms around me and hugged me back. “It was Leone’s idea, but I’ll take the credit for it.”

I could hear him chuckle against my hair. I jumped down and saw Chase coming in. He was dressed for battle now, and gone was the flirty twin I usually saw. “Ready to get this party started.” He called over.

Daxx came over with my pack and put her arm around me, “Lets go get changed.”

I nodded and looked over my shoulder at Victor. I could see the justice side of him coming out as he stood there. I swallowed and turned back to watch where we were going.

“I had Mitz make you a vest with a hood.” Daxx told me. “It will be in your room. Wear all black and put that on.” She paused and looked at me. “Take your phone, leave your pack.” She gave me a serious look. “I want you able to move without worrying about it. It will be safe here waiting for you.”

I nodded. If she wanted me to leave my pack behind, then I didn’t have a choice. Daxx knew more about battle then I did.